CS 460/660/760 Artificial Intelligence --Course Policies



CS 460/660/760

Syllabus

Schedule

Important Dates

Students are required to check their UAB email and visit the announcements section of the class web site on a daily basis. Official announcements for the class will be made through these channels.

Grading:
Final grades will be based on a combination of projects, homework assignments, in-class attendance and performance, two midterm exams and a final comprehensive exam. The approximate percentages are as follows:

  • 20% - Homework
  • 20% - Final Project
  • 5% - In-class participation, exercises, and quizzes
  • 15% - Midterm 1 (Thursday, September 24, 2009)
  • 15%- Midterm 2 (Tuesday, October 27, 2009)
  • 25%- Final exam (December 10, 2009)
Additionally, any one of the following will result on a final grade of F, even if the overall average is greater than 60%.
  • Obtaining an average of less than 60% on the homework and projects
  • Missing more than five lectures
There will be differences between the 460 and 660/760 versions of the homework and exams. Lowest homework grade will be dropped. Homework is due in class, at the beginning of class.

The nominal percentage-score-to-letter-grade conversion is as follows:
  • 90% or higher is an A
  • 80-89% is a B
  • 70-79% is a C
  • 60-69% is a D
  • below 60% is an F
We reserve the right to adjust these criteria downward, e.g., so that 88% or higher represents an A, based on overall class performance. The criteria will not be adjusted upward, however. You must earn a C or better to continue to the next course in this sequence.

Late Projects and Homework:
Projects up to three days late will receive up to 70% percent of full credit, and more than three weeks late will receive no credit. Homework up to a day late will receive up to 80% of full credit, and it will not be accepted after that. All homework and projects are due at the beginning of the class period. Note: final projects and presentations will not be accepted after the due date.

Makeup Policy:
Midterm exams can be made up if missed due to an emergency, upon satisfactory proof of the emergency. The final exam cannot be made up. The final exam cannot be offered to students early (e.g., for Christmas travel).

Collaboration:
Discussion of homework and projects among students is encouraged, but your answers and your code should be written and tested by you alone. Do not exchange programs or let someone look at your code, even if "just so they can see how you did it." If you need help, consult the instructor or the TA.

Standards of Conduct and Academic Dishonesty:
You are expected to conduct yourself in a professional and courteous manner, as prescribed by the UAB Conduct Honor Code. Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to abetting, cheating, plagiarism, fabrication and misrepresentation. Abetting involves collaborating with another person to commit an academically dishonest act, for instance allowing another student to copy your homework or preset your work as their own. Cheating may involve copying from another student, or possessing unauthorized materials during a test. Plagiarism occurs when someone represents the work or ideas of another person as his/her own. Fabrication is the act of presenting falsified data as genuine. Examples of misrepresentation include falsifying data (for example program outputs) in laboratory reports or projects. Any violation of the UAB Conduct Honor Code will result in a grade of 0 for the given assignment or exam and possible failure of the course.



Last updated July, 2009